Adrian is Auckland bureau chief for Aviation Week, based in New Zealand. He covers commercial aviation in the Asia-Pacific region.
Adrian was previously based in Aviation Week’s Washington office for nine years, writing for a range of the group’s publications and covering many aspects of the commercial aviation industry. He has won Australasian and international awards for his aviation writing.
Prior to joining Aviation Week in 2002, Adrian covered aviation industry and policy issues for two other publishing companies in Washington. He has also worked for newspapers in Texas and New Zealand, covering a wide range of topics. Adrian graduated from Auckland University with a degree in history and English in 1992.
An expected rebound in oil prices is leading American to predict that mainline unit costs will drop slightly during this quarter but increase for the full year. Unit costs will likely be down 1.3% in the first quarter from the same period last year, and will rise 1.4% for 2007. These estimates are based on the December forward curve, which indicates a first-quarter fuel price of $1.83 a gallon for the quarter and $2.12 for the full year. -AS
There is no doubt that surging aircraft operations at New York Kennedy Airport are making it tougher to deal with weather disruptions, but airport officials say JFK is still well short of reaching maximum capacity.
American is launching a major marketing push in the New York region, backed by new routes and increased frequency in existing markets. The airline is adding about 4,000 annual flights from New York Kennedy and LaGuardia airports, on top of the 175,000 annual flights it already operates from the region's airports. In an effort to impress New Yorkers, American stresses its long history in New York and its financial investment in the region.
